Alfajores are a very popular pastry in Latin America. The country that produces and consumes the most is Argentina. Although this was not invented in Alrgentina, they adopted from Spain, Andalucia. They adopted this pastry from the Arabs, when they conquered the Iberian Peninsula with the fall of the Visigoths, by beginning year 700.
What makes an alfajor? The dulce de leche or jam in between the baked cookie, in this case, the main ingredient of the cookie is cornstarch, that is why, this is a soft cookie that just melts in your mouth. You can code the alfajor with coconut. Some countries like Peru, just code the alfajor with powder sugar.
100g butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1,5 cup cornstarch
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
dulce de leche
coconut
powder sugar
1. mix butter and sugar and make a cream
2. add eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and mix.
3. add all dry ingredients, cornstarch, flour, baking powder. Knead until dough does not stick in your hands. Rest dough for 15 minutes.
4. roll the dough and form little round cookies. Bake them for 15 min. at 355F or 180C
5. When done, make sandwiches with dulce de leche, code with coconut and spread alfajores with powder sugar.
Perfect for an afternoon tea!
Susana
Source: http://www.recetasgratis.net and http://www.saberesysabores.com.ar/alfajor.htm
Delicioso y Divertido! 